Review: Franky Five Star (2023)
by Princess Kinoc of Film Police Reviews
Franky Five Star is a coming-of-age film starring Lena Urzendowsky, directed by Birgit Möller. It is said to run under the heels of Inside Out and Amelie, but to me, it best reminds me of the now-defunct TV series United States of Tara, with the dashing charm of Amelie Poulaine. Among the list of films in this year’s fest, Franky Five Star is probably less dreadful, although it does show a bit of dread for the introverted lead character when she switches from one personality – yes, personality – to another. It is depicted in a little bit more fun than the rest of the lineup.
Franky is a withdrawn, shy twenty-something who’s had a challenging relationship with her mother. Despite her outward loneliness, inside her head live four “permanent” personalities. It is said that severe trauma during early childhood invokes a dissociative personality that then causes a person to develop multiple personalities, as a coping mechanism to prevent the body from experiencing anything traumatic again.
This is why Birgit Möller’s film is a heartwarming take on that coming-of-age process. The set design of Franky’s Five Star hotel in her head is reminiscent of Michel Gondry’s films, particularly a favorite of mine, The Science of Sleep. The way that each set piece seems like it was designed as a crafts project aids the feel that this is all “in Franky’s head.” However, Lena Urzendowsky’s quirky performance as Franky is all you need to be convinced of seeing the film. Möller’s simple narrative filled with witty dialogues is enough to take a break from the intense plots of the rest of the films in this lineup. Franky Five Star is a film that you can rewatch, and it would remind you of the way that you can bloom later in life, perhaps often with the help of the little personalities we’ve developed throughout the years.
